Highest Rank In Spiritual #18
Andre Brown's life has sunk into a never ending black hole. Nothing seems to be working out for him and he has no answers why. His faith in God has gotten him as far as being in and out of homeless shelters. Forcing his...
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Dear Stephanie, your kind spirit, and extraordinary hospitality soothed me for the past couple of days. You have given me feelings that I have not felt in such a long time, I almost didn't know how to react. I tense up and get shy around you, I hide back into my shell because I'm too afraid of being a pain to you. I became a hermit again, obviously since I have written this letter to you. If you're reading this, I'm gone. I've left every one of the sheets you gave, me folded on the couch and made you a cup of coffee with your fancy Keurig that I could barely operate. I guess it is to the best of my ability that I explain where I have went. I have went to a homeless shelter an hour away, there I will be able to feel safe and sleep—or so I hope and imagine. I didn't know how to say goodbye without startling you from your peaceful sleep, so I left silently. Thank you for everything you have done these past days and I hope one day we can see each other again, being that I don't know if I'll make it to church. Best of luck to you and yours. Sincerely, Dre.
Stephanie's hands were trembling as she looked over Andre's signature of 'Dre' and placed the paper over the counter top. "He really left, what is he running for?" Stephanie had to reread the letter a few times before actually letting it sink in. She figured after last night's sentimental conversation he would be more open to receiving help from her, but she was wrong evidently. Stephanie walked over the hardwood floors in her slippers to the cup of coffee. She noticed steam rising from the warm liquid and figured he must not have left too long ago. Her hands wrapped around the mug and she placed it to her lips, the caffeine rolling into her bloodstream. Wiping the morning from her eyes, she couldn't help but notice she was up earlier than she should have been. All she seemed to do that morning before work was think of Andre, and wonder why he left.
New environments can be scary, unsettling, or uncomfortable. In Andre's case, it was all three. He didn't know anyone obviously, and he didn't know how far to extend his words with others. He kept his belongings to himself and made sure the money he did have stayed in the waistband of his boxers at all times. Breakfast was called in session and he watched as people clustered to one corner of the room and returned to their bunk beds to eat. Gulping, he pressed forward towards the table and waited in line. Hanging his head down majority of the time, he avoided eye contact with those who stared at him. He was a fresh face, he was bait to some and eye candy to others.
He was next in line and had no clue what to pick up. Stepping up in line, he scanned over the buckets of food. Cartons of orange juice, milk, and apple juice, along with low-fat honey buns or a box of cereal.
"Man please hurry, lot's of other people are hungry too." Andre was rushed from behind, his jaw clenched as he quickly picked up anything and walked out of line. He took a bite out of the low fat honey bun and held his carton in the other hand. Walking to the other side of the small shelter, he hoped to check in with someone upon his arrival. The line for this process went much quicker than the breakfast line, he stuffed the wrapping paper of the eaten honey bun into his sweatpants pocket and waited to be assisted.
